I want to build a rugged, truck/brush gun..

[ironglow]

  Yep; I want to build a rough & tumble gun, but I don't want to put a lot of $$$ in glass.  I'm not asking for a scope with outstanding  clarity, a range finder, a laser or any costly gadgets...but I do want a low-cost scope that is RUGGED..one that will hold it's zero through many a woods walk.
      A 4X or a 3-9X32 or 3-9X40  would be great                    l
   Have you experienced such a scope..say for under $100..  If so..  name, power & model please..

[45-70.gov]

nikon prostaff


bushnell TRS-25


works great after dark when nothing els works
still works great in daytime
NO eye releif issues.......very compact

[Dee]

I'd hunt the pawn shops for a a low powered Leupold, and stick it on a Marlin 336 3030.

[35Remington]

I might have the solution to your problem. It's a Bushnell Sportview 4X32 that sat atop my 336 for a long, long while. It's old enough to be from a time when they were carefully crafted. I have taken good care of it, but it looks as if it could really withstand a beating.

PM me if you're interested.

[Bugflipper]

Here's the best two I could find for $100. And saved you a nickel in the process.  I don't know of a better scope unless you double the money. These two are pretty good at holding zero. Twice as much as an entry level but the optics and light transmission are leaps and bounds. Both of them were near or over $300 before they were discontinued when ATK bought out the brands and consolidated the lines for better proffit. They were both made in the same plant that the nikon monarch used to be made in before the monarchs went to the Phillipines. So in other words the best Japanese plant for optics.

www.natchezss.com/Category.cfm?contentID=productDetail&brand=WE&prodID=WE849520&prodTitle=Weaver 2.8-10x44 40/44 Aspherical Riflescope Dual-X Reticle Matte

www.natchezss.com/Category.cfm?contentID=productDetail&brand=WE&prodID=WE94562&prodTitle=Nitrex TR One 3-9x42mm Rifle Scope Gloss Finish TrexPlex Reticle

[ironglow]

  Thanks Guys, some good suggestions there .  Bugflipper's suggestions look good..will have to check them out..
      I have an old, steel tube 4x Unertl with post & crosshair.  It seems rugged enough, but it's in the "collector" class and perhaps I should not use it like that.  Maybe I could swap it for a current good quality scope..

[Lloyd Smale]

cheap and rugged for a truck gun. What about just going with a peep sight. My take on it is this. For under a 100 bucks unless your finding a closeout deal like bugflpper suggested is going to be a real compromise. Either your going to get poor optics or poor construction or in many cases both.

[ironglow]

  With my aged eyes,  regular iron sights are a non-starter, but I have been considering a peep, fiber optics or a combination of both.
  Since one rifle I have been considering, is my CVA Scout .44 mag, I have noted that CVA has what looks like some pretty nice fiber optics. I would have to either drill & tap or epoxy the sights on.

[Bugflipper]

Well on a 44 a dot scope could be another option. www.natchezss.com/Optics.cfm?contentID=productDetail&brand=MI&prodID=MIRD00004&prodTitle=Millett SP1 Red Dot Sight 1
I have had one of these for maybe 20 years. It's been on several contender pistol barrels including a 30-30, 35, 44, 445 sm and 45-70 over the years. It's currently on top of an AK which doesn't have much recoil, but it looks terrible atop it, chips everywhere knocked off from handling over the years. Been on a slug gun and a guide gun, I only have ever owned one of them and it shows it's been whooped on pretty hard.
The lack of magnification doesn't make it a good one for head shooting squirrels, but it's fine for big game, coyotes and even things like raccoons and possums. The only down side is the 3 moa dot and no magnification. I tried it for a short stint on a 22 rifle and it just covered to much of a squirrel to be what I wanted. It came into it's own for under 200 yards on the lever action guide gun though for quick woods shooting. On the contenders it was more of a 100 yard scope unless there was a good log to rest on. I don't use that AK for hunting but it's a quick handling steel pinger in it's current form. Back in the day it's a lot more than I wanted to spend, seems like it was around 100 back then but it's held up well and was a good investment. Don't know if they kept the quality up or not, but might be worth looking into.

[ironglow]

  I had considered a red dot..but I have heard a lot of negatives about the durability of them.  I am pleased to have your testimony of good service.  My truck rifle won't need a great deal of magnification, but as I said.. ruggedness is at a premium..

[45-70.gov]

my  trs-25 bushnell is holding up on my  45-70....with warm loads


had a ''ultra-dot''  red-dot  on a 44mag winchester trapper  for nearly 30 years
shot a turkey on the wing at about 100 feet  last year with it


i haven't adjusted the sight in 30 years....gone through about 5 batteries
this gun/scope has seen a lot of canoe rides....and a thousand rounds of 280 grain 44s

[mcwoodduck]

I'd hunt the pawn shops for a a low powered Leupold, and stick it on a Marlin 336 3030.

I am with Dee in looking for a used Leupold VarX II 4X 24 , or a Weaver K4  4X38.
I think a new K4 is under $180 if you pay Tax, and express shipping.  I think the Weaver K and V lines are = to the leupold Var X II line in quality and light gathering I own both but have been putting Weavers on the later rifles. 
I have a Leupold 4X on a 375H&H and a Weaver on a 22Mag the Weaver seems clearer and gathers more light at dusk. 
I am a bolt gun fan so a K4 on a Sporterized Mauser 98, 96, 93, 95, or even an Enfield No4. That can be picked up cheap.  Any of the WWI military rounds will work for a truck gun. 
I actually think a Enfield No4 would be a perfect truck gun if you do not want a scope.  The large peep sight is great for fast shots and a flip of your thumb and you are at the small peep that you can pre- set to yardage. 
The 303 Brit with 150 or 180 grain soft bullets is 30-30 plus 150 FPS.  The detachable mag makes mounting a scope easy  as you so not have to leave room to load rounds and a loaded mag can be carried and just snaped in if you can not have a loaded rifle in the truck in your state.   Same it can be unloaded fast.  By opening the bolt and then removing the mag and topping off the mag with the round from the chamber.   

[Ranger99]

n.s.s. just had new k-4s a month or
so ago for a little over 100.00


the used leupold is as good as any.

[Graybeard]

btt